Anzio 

Updated 11/14/2009

Grognards Pre-Con
2009 WBC Report  

 2010 Status: pending 2010 GM commitment

Tom Oleson, WA

2009 Champion

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Event History
1991    Tom Oleson        8
1992    Mike Sincavage      13
1993    Mike Sincavage      12
1994    Mike Sincavage      14
1995    Mike Sincavage        9
1996    Mike Sincavage        8
1997    Tom Oleson      10
1998    Mike Sincavage        8
1999    Mike Sincavage     12
2000    Robert Ryan     24
2001    Stephen Likevich     21
2002    Mike Sincavage     18
2003    Mike Sincavage     20
2004    Robert Ryan     22
2005    Paul Fletcher     18
2006     Paul Fletcher     22
2007     Bruno Sinigaglio     33
2008    Robert Ryan     17
2009    Tom Oleson     19

PBeM Event History
2001    Bob Ryan     22
 Laurels

 Rank  Name              From  Last  Total
   1.  Robert Ryan        MI    09    204
   2.  Paul Fletcher      CT    09    149
   3.  Tom Oleson         WA    09    142
   4.  Mike Sincavage     VA    03    114
   5.  Stephen Likevich   OH    01     74
   6.  Bruno Sinigaglio   AK    07     32
   7.  Carl Walling       PA    06     30
   8.  Chris Harris       VA    08     25
   9.  Paul O'Niel        MD    06     21
  10.  Mark Bayliss       uk    05     17
  11.  Robert Frisby      VA    08     12
  12.  Bill Scott         VA    09     10
  13.  Mike Scott         MD    09      9
  14.  John Clarke        FL    08      9
  15.  John Grant Jr      CT    01      8
  16.  Randy Heller       NH    06      6
  17.  Frank Sinigaglio   NJ    05      6
  18.  Walter Garman      MD    99      4
  19.  Bill Riggs         VA    09      3
  20.  Steve Foren        FL    07      3
  21.  Brian Addison      VA    05      3
  22.  Bryan Jackson      NY    01      2
  23.  John Ellsworth     IL    01      1

2009 Laurelists                                       Repeating Laurelists 

Paul Fletcher, CT
2nd

Robert Ryan, MI
3rd

Mike Scott, MD
4th

Bill Scott, VA
5th

Bill Riggs, VA
6th


Past Winners

Tom Oleson, WA
1991, 1997, 2009

Mike Sincavage, VA
'92-'96, '98-'99, '02

Robert Ryan, MI
2000, 2004, 2008

Stephen Likevich, OH
2001

Paul Fletcher, CT
2005, 2006
 

Paul Fletcher fell just short this year in a battle of two-time champions as longtime adversary Tom Oleson got the best of him in their latest match.

Tom's revised maps and scenarios published on his own dime have breathed new life into a classic wargame at WBC in combination with Free Form scheduling.

Year 10 of the Renaissance

Venerable grognard Tom Oleson once again devoted his efforts, time, dedication, and innovation to the Anzio experience.  As in 2008, Bruno Sinigaglio graciously agreed to GM the event during the 'Grognard' Pre-Con due to the GM not being able to arrive until Monday.

The points scoring system to advance four finalists to the semi-finals the last few years was once again used.  The loser in any scenario is awarded one point.  A winner of the 15-turn scenario earned 15 points.  The Sicilia scenario was worth five points and the 21-turn combined Sicilia and Anzio earned 21 points.  However, a winner also gains one bonus point for each win a loser previously had.  In addition, only the best three games counted for each player.  This effectively deals with the issue of a contestant playing more games than any other and/or a player only being involved in matches with less experienced players. 

At 5:00 PM on Friday the four highest scoring players entered into the single elimination portion of the tournament. Those four players were:

1.     Mike Scott - 78 pts

2.     Tom Oleson - 61 pts

3.     Bob Ryan  - 48 pts

4.     Paul Fletcher  - 40 pts

Playoffs

Top-seeded Mike who was making his first appearance at WBC took on Paul's Germans in the first semi-final.  Paul had the 16th Panzer Division at Termoli so Mike landed at Terracina and managed to weather numerous counterattacks.  On the November 1 turn, Mike had a line of units from Naples to just south of Termoli and decided to execute the Second Invasion immediately.  Alas, the Allies fared poorly when they came ashore near Rome and Paul returned to the Final for a shot at his third crown.

The defending champion met the player whose name has become synonymous with Anzio in the other semi.  Bob stationed the 16th Panzer at Termoli so Tom landed at Naples.  Tom did his normal 'bounce' off of the HG and NW71 at Vesuvio.  Bob was unable to crush the invasion so the Allies steadily marched up from the South and linked up with the invasion force.  Tom executed the Second Invasion on Nov II at Terracina.  This created a Kessel of German forces east of Casino as the game came down to the last few turns.  Bob resigned the Germans' chances on the Dec III turn.

Final

Tom's Allies met Paul's Germans with the 16th Panzer at Terracina.  Paul did not garrison Vesuvio, so Tom invaded at Salerno.  Tom headed straight North, and by the end of October the front was on a line from a few hexes South of Cassino to just South of Termoli.  Tom kept pushing, but the German defense was strong.  Tom couldn't ignore an undefended Anzio, so he invaded at the first opportunity - November I.  Paul thought that Tom would not invade Nov I and thereby give him the second invasion reaction forces for the rest of the game.  The Germans never came close to retaking Anzio, but since the Allies were stalled South of Cassino and Termoli, Rome needed to be taken too. 
     As both sides shifted most of their forces into the Rome area, the battle raged for the high ground East of the beach for seven turns, with the Frascati hill changing hands repeatedly. The British 7th Armored division died there, surrounded. It was a game of closely massed divisions, many 1-1 attacks, heavy losses on both sides, with free use of the reroll. 
     The Allies also threatened Terracina, but the German sealed that off, helped by the earlier availability of the invasion reaction. However, the Allies finally crossed the Tiber on the coast, and attacked Rome from several hexes. By December III Rome fell, giving the Allies the win and Mr Anzio his third crown - a dozen years after the second.

 GM      Bob Ryan  [3rd Year]   NA
    bobmryan@aol.com   NA

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